Starting Anew
by Chocolatheque
Summary: butts


Starting Anew

Author's notes: YES. It's time for a late Valentine's Day oneshot! ((is famous for writing holiday fics WAY too late)) Anyway, no flaming the pairing, and please enjoy! (and for those of you following Babysitter's updates, I've got another chapter coming in a while!) ((flutters off))

This fic is dedicated to cruelfeline, who is way too awesome for words, encouraged me to write this, and is a great authoress herself (READ HER STUFF NOW OR ELSE), Super Lucky Tiki Charm, who is another awesome person and writes great fanfiction too (GO READ HER STUFF TOO), and any Pai and Retasu fans! Spread the PxR LOVE:D

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It was Valentine's Day. A holiday considered by some to be the best holiday of the year. After all, who doesn't like spending time with a loved one, giving (or receiving, in the males' case) chocolate, and just having a generally great time?

For a certain lavender haired alien, none of these things were considered enjoyable because he had never gotten a chance at experiencing any them.

Sulking in the shadows of an old tree, he disdainfully watched the random couples that passed by. They were all so happy... so completed...

'So foolish,' he thought icily, a deep glare finding its way onto his expression (and in the process, frightening away a young twosome that had just noticed the sulking boy).

What was the point of love? It was a stupid emotion. It only led to trouble, and unstable thinking, and hurt feelings, and all sorts of other unpleasant things that he had witnessed in various relationships (his own parents being one of them). Thinking about it only made him hate the whole holiday even more, and all the hating was giving him a headache. Which made him hate it even more. It was a vicious cycle. Only something Valentine's day could do, he decided.

The dull pain in his head ever increasing, he decided to take a walk to cool down his thoughts.

He wondered why was even here on earth. Why had he agreed to come in the first place? Oh, right. Kisshu wanted to see his precious "Koneko-chan". Despite the fact that she'd most likely be repelled by his very presence and possibly even injure him, some way or another. And Pai had told his love-sick friend these very things, but was promptly ignored and begged to come along. Coming here was DEFINITELY against his better judgement. Taruto had tagged along as well, for unspecified reasons, but Pai had his own suspicions... suspicions that involved a certain blonde haired monkey girl...

He cleared those thoughts away. They, too, aggravated his headache.

Pai picked an empty road to travel on, so as not to encounter too many of those brainless couples (whom started the headache in the first place). The sun seemed to be concentrating a lot of its light onto that particular path, as did the soft winds that enjoyed dispensing their energy at the same time. It was pleasant, to say the least. Pai couldn't help but enjoy it. Many of the trees were freshly blooming from their previously dead winter state, and it made for a refreshing sight. The eldest alien felt a slight smile find its place on his lips.

It was like...

Starting anew.

It felt nice.

His finally peaceful thoughts were abruptly interrupted by him bumping into another being. Hard.

He was able to maintain his footing, but the figure was sent plummeting to the ground. After regaining from the surprise, he took a look at who he had hit.

It was...

Retasu?

Pai hesitated for a moment. What was he supposed to do? Out of instinct, he felt defensive of himself, but quite to the contrary, his hand reached out for hers, ready to assist her in standing up again.

It was a weird little sensation. His body was acting against his thoughts. The ability to think logically left him for the second time today, and he grabbed her hand to pull her up.

Retasu was apparently as surprised as he was, if not, more so. She flustered and gathered herself the best she could, blushing furiously the whole time.

"P-Pai-san...?" she questioned embarrassedly, for lack of anything else to say.

Pai also found himself at a loss for words, which he hated beyond comparison. What was WRONG with him today?

So instead, he just nodded dumbly. Then both a bag and a scarf on the ground caught his eye. Retasu had been carrying them. He scooped the items up and offered them to her timidly.

"Are... these yours?" D'oh. Stupid question alert.

"Y...yes... Thank you..." She bowed and took the bag from his hands.

Pai indicated the scarf and began to say, "What about-," but was interrupted by "Please, keep it."

He made eye contact with her curiously. It wasn't often (if not, never) that he was offered things. Instict would have made him suspicious, but emotion made him... happy?

"Thank... you?" Despite the very words being completely new to him, he found it less difficult to say them than he expected. The conversation (or lack thereof) kept getting more and more awkward.

"Oh!" Retasu exclaimed softly, suddenly digging through her bag, looking for something. Pai watched, wondering what she would find.

"Here it is," she happily concluded. Then, resuming her shy state, held out something.

'A restraining order?' Pai couldn't help but think sarcastically, as his curiousity grew.

"This is... for... you..." she stuttered, casting her eyes downwards, but still watching him to see his expression.

He realized once it was placed into his hands that it was...

"Chocolate?"

She nodded approvingly, smiling, but also turning a purple-ish color from blushing so hard. "V... Valentine's Day chocolate... happy Valentine's day..."

Pai observed the prettily packaged item, contemplating its purpose. "Isn't chocolate given to people whom one..." He quickly stopped that thought before it went too far. But somehow, this one, tiny item made him feel inexplicably wonderful. The headache that had previously plagued him was gone, without any trace of ever being there.

'And here comes that pesky smile,' he thought, and yet, he didn't fight the smile.

"Thank you, Midorikawa-san," he thanked, this time the words coming a little more easily.

Retasu's blush deepened even further. If that was possible. "You're... you're welcome... I... If you don't like chocolate, I... I understand... um..."

"Don't worry so much," he assured, "Even if I didn't like it, just the fact that... that you were thinking of me... would be enough..."

Oh great. The blushing was contagious. Pai hoped SO hard that she wouldn't notice.

She didn't seem to. She smiled again, this time in a less shy manner, which comforted him. Which was weird. Pai hadn't realized how nervous he was.

"Well, um, uh... I need to be going now... I have work... so..." Retasu bowed courteously once again, and flashed that sweet, warm smile for the last time...

"Bye..." Pai said slowly. He almost wished she didn't have to go, but there was NO way he was going to voice that thought.

"B... bye..." she replied, continuing on her way in a rush, but taking her own time to break eye contact with him.

When she was gone, his attention went back the the small item in his hands. He fingered it tenderly, as if it were an item of high value.

"To tell the truth," he said quietly, to no one in particular, "I've never had chocolate before. But if it's from her... then it can't be that bad."

He smiled again. 'Darn that smile,' he cursed mentally, but in truth, enjoyed it.

Maybe...

Valentine's Day wasn't as bad a holiday as he had thought.

THE END

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Author's notes: Yayyy, out-of-character goodness! See the cute little button down there? Press it! ...WAIT NO! THAT'S THE "SUBMIT A REPORT" BUTTON! AHHH! ((dies))

Yeah. Time for me to go to bed. Anyway, please review.


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